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Student counseling center- need of the hour

196 Jan 31, 2016

In order to look after student's problems, UGC has asked
universities to set up a student counseling system for addressing the
grievances or challenges faced by students. This decision was taken due to massive
outrage taking place over the suicide by a dalit research scholar in Hyderabad
University.

Jaspal Singh Sandhu (UGC secretary) wrote in his letter to
vice-chancellors of all universities that the student counseling system needs
to be interactive and target-oriented. This should involve both parents and
students and teachers too in order to address problems like anxiety, stress,
fear of change and failure to homesickness and other academic worries.

He said that all universities need to place student
counseling system mandatorily as safety of students is important whether on or
off campus as per UGC guidelines.

According to him, the
guidelines were told to universities last year.

The counseling
system's main aim is to bridge the gap whether formal or informal between
students and institution.

The UGC secretary
further added that teachers cum counselors would be trained to act as guide of
students catering to their emotional and intellectual needs and guide them to
move up in their career at regular interval of time. They need to stay close in
touch with the students allotted to them which are a batch of 25 students.

He suggested that student counselors have the liberty to
coordinate with wardens of hostels and exchange personal details of students, academic
record and behavior patterns for taking corrective action.

Services of a psychologist may be also provided to students
in these counseling centers, confirmed the UGC secretary.

The HRD ministry had announced that it would take steps
including sensitizing administrations after an outrage broke following the
suicide by a dalit student Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad University earlier this
month.

UGC further asked universities to observe January 30 as
Martyrs' Day and celebrate "Matribhasha Diwas" on 21 February every
year.